Hockey might be Canada’s game, but the Stanley Cup resides in the United States.
It’s something Canada has grown accustomed to over recent decades. Despite dominating the early days of the NHL and all the way into the 1980s, the U.S. has taken complete control over the league and the Stanley Cup.
Just seven of the 32 NHL teams call Canada home, giving the country slim chances of hosting a champion. Toss in those seven teams’ recent playoff history, and the reasons for a significant championship lull become even clearer.
Canada’s quest for the Cup in 2024 lied in the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, who beat the Dallas Stars for the Western Conference title. Connor McDavid and Co., however, couldn't overcome a 3-0 series deficit in Game 7, falling to the Florida Panthers for hockey’s biggest prize.
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Just how long has it been since a team took the Stanley Cup to the Great White North? Here’s a breakdown of Canada’s ongoing Stanley Cup drought:
When was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup?
It’s been 31 years since a Canadian team lifted the Stanley Cup, and that drought will persist. The Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings four games to one in the 1993 Cup Final, and an American team has won it every time since.
Here’s when each Canadian organization last earned the Stanley Cup:
- Montreal Canadiens: 1993 (beat Kings in five games)
- Edmonton Oilers: 1990 (beat Bruins in five games)
- Calgary Flames: 1989 (beat Canadiens in six games)
- Toronto Maple Leafs: 1967 (beat Canadiens in six games)
- Ottawa Senators: Never
- Vancouver Canucks: Never
- Winnipeg Jets: Never
When was the last time a Canadian team appeared in the Stanley Cup Final?
NHL
Prior to the Oilers in 2024, the Canadiens came close to snapping the skid in 2021, but they fell to the defending-champion Lightning in a gentleman’s sweep during the Cup Final. Then prior to that, the Canucks were the last Canadian team to reach the Cup Final, doing so in 2011.
Here’s each Canadian team’s last Cup Final appearance:
- Edmonton Oilers: 2024 (lost to Panthers in seven games)
- Montreal Canadiens: 2021 (lost to Lightning in five games)
- Vancouver Canucks: 2011 (lost to Bruins in seven games)
- Ottawa Senators: 2007 (lost to Ducks in five games)
- Edmonton Oilers: 2006 (lost to Hurricanes in seven games)
- Calgary Flames: 2004 (lost to Lightning in seven games)
- Toronto Maple Leafs: 1967 (beat Canadiens in six games)
- Winnipeg Jets: Never
How many times has a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup?
Since 1918, Canadian teams have won 49 Stanley Cups. Along with the four active NHL teams from Canada that have lifted the Cup, the country’s tally also includes two championships from the Montreal Maroons, who existed from 1924 to 1938.
U.S. teams are up to 55 following the 2023 Cup Final. It wasn’t until the Washington Capitals’ triumph in 2018 that the U.S. surpassed Canada in the overall tally.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article was published in June 2022.
